Unburdened By What Has Been
Early in the morning hours of November 6, 2024, the Associated Press and other reporting agencies declared Donald J. Trump the rightly-elected 47th President of The United States of America.
The subsequent posts on social media presented a range of emotive responses as diverse and divided as the population of The United States of America itself.
People who were disappointed by the election of President Trump cited a host of reasons for their mental and emotional angst: worry about the potential for lost personal liberties, fear for the future of the American rule of law, disgust at the incendiary rhetoric endemic to recent campaign cycles, and more.
On the other hand, those who supported the 45th President’s re-election bid cited a number of reasons for their hope: lower costs, controlled inflation, less government over-reach, and more.
President Trump’s opposition expressed their shared sense of burden: for their personal futures, and for the future of our nation as a whole. Meanwhile, President Trump’s supporters expressed their shared sense of being “Unburdened by what has been” – an ironic re-purposing of a phrase made popular by Vice President Harris herself.
Either you fall cleanly into one of these two “camps,” or else you are presently experiencing a complex mixture of emotions related to this election cycle. Regardless of what sort of responses you are exhibiting, Jesus is likely showing you the condition of your heart.
Ask yourself this question: “How do I feel about the results of this election cycle?” Note your responses. Simply put, if you feel significantly more or less burdened on November 6th or 7th than you did 24-to-48-hours earlier, you’re likely carrying burdens that aren’t yours to carry, and looking to find relief from illegitimate sources.
Next, take time to reflect upon Matthew 11:28-30. There, Christ calls out to Trump supporters and Trump-dissidents alike. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
There are much larger burdens than those of taxation, inflation, over-regulation, and public trust in political institutions. Those are burdens of space and place, but there exist in contrast burdens of the soul: the fallenness of all Creation, the eternal weight of sin, death (the wages of sin), and the holiness of God (who metes out those judgements in righteousness). These are burdens of infinite import, and through Christ, they are burdens from which both we and our students are free. For in his incarnation, Christ bore the full burden of human fragility (Hebrews 4:15). In his suffering to the point of death, Christ bore the full burden of human sin (Romans 8:1). In his resurrection from the dead, Christ bore the full burden of human death (John 11:25). In in his present ministry at the Father’s right hand, Jesus lives to make intercession for his people (Hebrews 7:25); he bears the full weight of human anxieties.
Jesus is the only one who can release us from the weight of the burdens which truly matter. He and he alone offers hope to live an unburdened life – whether unburdened by what has been, or, unburdened by the prospect of what is yet to come.
Did the election of Donald J. Trump instill you with a sense of lightness and freedom? Take heed, lest you fall by mistaking a public servant for a functional savior.
Did the election of Donald J. Trump fill you with existential dread? Take heed, lest, in obsessing over the issues of our day and age, you neglect to grasp the weight of the burdens of your soul – and the One who has offered to share his easy yoke and light burden.
Lo! The Incarnate God, ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood;
Venture on Him, venture wholly;
Let no other trust intrude.
-J. Hart, 1759 – “Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy”
(Photo Credit: unsplash.com)
Autumn Ridge Community Church Ellijay, GA would love the opportunity to share more about the hope of Jesus. If you have questions or comments, please visit us at The Victory Christian Center on a Sunday morning at 10:00am. Or, send us an email at info@autumnridgecommunitychurch.com.
The subsequent posts on social media presented a range of emotive responses as diverse and divided as the population of The United States of America itself.
People who were disappointed by the election of President Trump cited a host of reasons for their mental and emotional angst: worry about the potential for lost personal liberties, fear for the future of the American rule of law, disgust at the incendiary rhetoric endemic to recent campaign cycles, and more.
On the other hand, those who supported the 45th President’s re-election bid cited a number of reasons for their hope: lower costs, controlled inflation, less government over-reach, and more.
President Trump’s opposition expressed their shared sense of burden: for their personal futures, and for the future of our nation as a whole. Meanwhile, President Trump’s supporters expressed their shared sense of being “Unburdened by what has been” – an ironic re-purposing of a phrase made popular by Vice President Harris herself.
Either you fall cleanly into one of these two “camps,” or else you are presently experiencing a complex mixture of emotions related to this election cycle. Regardless of what sort of responses you are exhibiting, Jesus is likely showing you the condition of your heart.
Ask yourself this question: “How do I feel about the results of this election cycle?” Note your responses. Simply put, if you feel significantly more or less burdened on November 6th or 7th than you did 24-to-48-hours earlier, you’re likely carrying burdens that aren’t yours to carry, and looking to find relief from illegitimate sources.
Next, take time to reflect upon Matthew 11:28-30. There, Christ calls out to Trump supporters and Trump-dissidents alike. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
There are much larger burdens than those of taxation, inflation, over-regulation, and public trust in political institutions. Those are burdens of space and place, but there exist in contrast burdens of the soul: the fallenness of all Creation, the eternal weight of sin, death (the wages of sin), and the holiness of God (who metes out those judgements in righteousness). These are burdens of infinite import, and through Christ, they are burdens from which both we and our students are free. For in his incarnation, Christ bore the full burden of human fragility (Hebrews 4:15). In his suffering to the point of death, Christ bore the full burden of human sin (Romans 8:1). In his resurrection from the dead, Christ bore the full burden of human death (John 11:25). In in his present ministry at the Father’s right hand, Jesus lives to make intercession for his people (Hebrews 7:25); he bears the full weight of human anxieties.
Jesus is the only one who can release us from the weight of the burdens which truly matter. He and he alone offers hope to live an unburdened life – whether unburdened by what has been, or, unburdened by the prospect of what is yet to come.
Did the election of Donald J. Trump instill you with a sense of lightness and freedom? Take heed, lest you fall by mistaking a public servant for a functional savior.
Did the election of Donald J. Trump fill you with existential dread? Take heed, lest, in obsessing over the issues of our day and age, you neglect to grasp the weight of the burdens of your soul – and the One who has offered to share his easy yoke and light burden.
Lo! The Incarnate God, ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood;
Venture on Him, venture wholly;
Let no other trust intrude.
-J. Hart, 1759 – “Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy”
(Photo Credit: unsplash.com)
Autumn Ridge Community Church Ellijay, GA would love the opportunity to share more about the hope of Jesus. If you have questions or comments, please visit us at The Victory Christian Center on a Sunday morning at 10:00am. Or, send us an email at info@autumnridgecommunitychurch.com.